Hue Jackson coached McCarron when he was with the Bengals. (Frank Victores, AP)

Chasing the veteran QB

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With their top veteran quarterback target in Alex Smith traded to the Redskins, the Browns will turn their attention to Kirk Cousins, AJ McCarron, Nick Foles, Case Keenum, Tyrod Taylor and others who could become available.

A lot has happened since the Chiefs agreed to ship Smith to the Redskins for a third-round pick and starting cornerback Kendall Fuller. The Browns offered the Chiefs one of their three second-round picks for Smith, whom Browns GM John Dorsey traded for in Kansas City in 2013.

But they apparently valued highly the chance to get a starting cornerback in return.

The Browns will now to land another veteran quarterback who can start games for them in 2017, even though they’ll most likely draft a QB No. 1 overall.

After going 0-8 with rookie Cody Kessler in 2016 and 0-15 with DeShone Kizer in 2017, Hue Jackson has no stomach -- or time -- for more rookie growing pains in 2018, even if the Browns select a Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen No. 1.

So here’s the latest on some of the quarterbacks who could be available by the start of the new league year on March 14.

By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com

AJ McCarron

McCarron will be on the Browns' radar in free agency. (Gary Landers, Associated Press)

1. Bengals' AJ McCarron

In an interview last month with his hometown radio station, Mobile, Alabama’s WNSP-FM 105.5 FM, McCarron said he would’ve loved to be traded to Cleveland on Oct. 31. Instead, the deal fell through when the Browns waited until the last minute to execute the trade.

"As a competitor, I wanted that opportunity, just to be able to showcase and help a team win ball games," McCarron said. "I think I would have had some success playing for Hue (Jackson). I would've loved the opportunity to go up there and get them a win, more than one win. As a competitor, that's all you can ask for."

McCarron’s remarks should be music to the Browns’ ears. With other quarterbacks such as Cousins talking all about winning, McCarron is eager to come to Cleveland and try to turn around the 1-31 Browns and be reunited with Jackson.

A fifth-round pick in 2014 out of Alabama, he’s been Andy Dalton’s backup for four years, and is anxious to play. He could be the perfect bridge quarterback until Darnold, Rosen or whoever the Browns draft is ready.

In 2015, he went 2-1 in place of an injured Dalton, with six TDs, two INTs and a 97.1 rating. He almost beat the Steelers in the wild-card round if not for some defensive gaffes at the end of the game.

An arbitrator will rule on McCarron’s labor grievance against the Bengals Feb. 15. If he wins, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent and the Browns will just have to make the right offer. If he loses, he’ll be a restricted free agent and the Bengals can match any offer. If they don’t, the new team will owe draft pick compensation.

Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins will likely be out of the Browns' price range. (Bill Kostroun, Associated Press)

2. Redskins' Kirk Cousins

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that the Redskins have contemplated franchising Cousins a third straight year — for $34.5 million in 2018 — and then trading him. But sources close to the situation doubt that will happen because Cousins could take his time signing the tender and thus hold up a trade, and a new team might not want to offer much for a player under contract for one season.

Foles became one of the hottest candidates of the offseason with his unlikely romp through the playoffs, culminating in the Super Bowl MVP award. After Carson Wentz went down in December with his torn ACL and LCL, Foles went 2-1 in the regular season with five TDs and two INTs. In the playoffs, he went 3-0 with six TDs, one INT and a 115.7 rating. He also became the first QB quarterback in Super Bowl history to throw and catch a TD pass.

Question is, would the Eagles trade him? One source close to the situation says “possibly.’’ So why would the Eagles trade the Super MVP? Because they’re committed to Wentz, who went 11-2 and was on his way to possible MVP honors before the injury. With Foles set to become a free agent after the 2018 season, the Eagles might not be able to afford to keep him.

His value is high right now, and the Eagles would likely be at least willing to listen.But the Browns wouldn’t be the only potential suitors. If Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich gets the Colts job, he might want to bring Foles along. If Eagles QB coach John DeFilippo gets the Vikings OC job, perhaps they’d be interested, too.

The Browns have already offered one of their second-round picks for McCarron and Smith, so they’d probably be willing to give up one for Foles, the same compensation the Patriots accepted for Jimmy Garoppolo, although Brian Hoyer was part of that deal for all intents and purposes.

In the end, the Eagles might decide to keep him as insurance against Wentz' injury.

Vikings Eagles Football

Case Keenum went 11-3 this season. (Matt Slocum, AP)

4. Vikings' Case Keenum

All of the Vikings’ QBs, including Keenum, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater, are set to become free agents this offseason, and Keenum set himself up to hit the jackpot with an 11-3 campaign, including 22 TDs, 7 interceptions and a 98.3 rating.

According to spotrac.com, his market value is about $21.1 million over four years. But if the Browns want to land one of the top quarterbacks on the market, they’ll have to pay up.

With uncertainly over Bridgewater’s knee, the Vikings will either try to re-sign Keenum, or possibly pursue another top QB such as Cousins or Foles.

Depending on who they hire as offensive coordinator, the Vikings might be willing to take another chance on Bradford, who suffered a knee injury in the first week of the season and underwent a scope in November.

When Bradford is healthy, he’s flashes his top-pick ability. In 2016, he went 7-8 with 20 TDs, 5 INTs, and a 99.3 rating.